Have You Got the Courage to Ask?

During the last 16 years I have worked with many great salespeople and they all
do one thing more consistently than their colleagues...they ask.

If you want to increase your sales and grow your business you need to develop
the ability and skill to ask for a variety of things.

Ask more qualifying questions

I know you probably think you ask enough questions but I'll challenge you on
this because most of the sales people I encounter don't ask nearly enough good
qualifying questions. Most of the sales conversation I listen to start with one
or two questions before the sales person launches into his or her pitch.

Ask for the decision maker

If the person you are speaking to is not the sole decision maker you must ask
to be connected with the real decision maker. You can accomplish this without
alienating your first contact person by saying, "My experience has taught me
that everyone has a different perspective on this issue. To avoid confusion, I
have found that a conversation with all the key stakeholders saves time for
everyone involved. Can you arrange that?"

Ask for the meeting

If you're making a prospecting call you need to ask for that meeting or
appointment. You can't expect the other person to jump out of their chair and
exclaim, "We have to meet!" You need to take the initiative to make that happen.

Ask for an introduction

When you come across an ideal prospect through your network, reach out and
ask someone who knows that contact to make an introduction.

Ask for the sale

Okay, this may sound like a no-brainer but far too many people in sales fail
to ask for the business. A good friend of mine recently met with a new prospect
and that individual expressed in attending a seminar my friend is hosting.
However, my friend neglected to ask his prospect if he wanted to register
directly with him instead of completing the process online. As I write this
post, my friend's contact hasn't signed up for the seminar.

Ask for a referral

You do ask people for referrals, right? And you can clearly explain who your
ideal customer can't you? Do this consistently with every customer and prospect
and you can quickly increase your business with less effort.

Ask for clarification

If you're not sure what someone means or you're confused, ask a clarifying
question such as, "Can you clarify that for me?" or "Can you elaborate?"

Ask what concerns or obstacles might get in the way

Lots of deals stall out and die because the prospect has specific concerns.
Concerns that were not addressed in the sales conversation. Don't let this
happen to you. Ask people what concerns they might have about moving forward or
what might prevent the deal from closing. It's better to find out early rather
than later.

Ask why someone chose you

Many sales people don't clearly understand their USP or what makes them
different than the competition. When in doubt, ask your existing customers. It's
as simple as saying, "John, why did you choose us instead of...?"

Ask for help

We all encounter problems and challenges. Smart sales people aren't afraid to
ask for when they need it. You can ask a colleague, your boss, a customer and
even a prospect for help.

Ask why a prospect chose a competitor

When you lose a deal to a competitor don't just walk away with your tail
between your legs. Muster up the courage to ask your prospect why you lost that
deal.

In today's competitive business climate you must get comfortable asking if
you want to increase your sales, grow your business and make more money. The
more you ask, the easier it gets. The easier it gets, the more you will ask for.
And the more you ask for, the more you will get.

Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales
professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and
profits. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing
to his free newsletter available at
www.kelleyrobertson.com. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at
sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs contact him at
905-633-7750 or
Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com